Locking hat, coat, and umbrella rack.



F. L. KINSEY." LOGKING HAT, GOAT, AND vUMBRELLA RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1910. 978,033. Patented Dec. 6,1910

s SHEETS-sum1. l SZ'7 /LZ iii Jf lif l F. L. KINSLY. LocK'ING HAT! GOAT, AND .UMBRELLA RACK.

PPLIOATIoN FILED JAN. 29, 1910.

Patented Dc. 6,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE VOR SFETLRS C0 WASHINGTON D C F. L. KINSEY.

LOCKING HAT, GOAT, AND UMBRELLA RACK.` APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 29, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

tnvrrnn srarns @Barnier onirica.

FREDERICK L. KINSEY, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOI-IN D. BROTHERSTON, OF DERBY, NEW YORK.

LOCKING- HAT, COAT, AND UMBRELLA RACK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK L. Kinsey, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Hat, Coat, and Umbrella Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved coat and hat rack provided with means for locking coats, hats, and umbrellas thereto so that only the parties in possession of keys can remove them from the racks.

My invention has for its objects the production of a rack of this character which is not only ornamental, but thoroughly practical as an article of utility.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a. hat and coat rack of simple and durable construction whereby coats of different thicknesses of material or a number of coats can be securely locked upon the coat-hook; also in which the locking mechanism cooperating with the hat-hookaccommodates itself to the thickness of the material of the hat.

Another object of my invention is to so construct the rack that a locking-lever cooperating with the coat-hook need only be operated to lock a coat, hat, and umbrella thereto, and wherein provision is made to automatically release the locking elements upon inserting a key and turning the same.

A still further object of my invention isto so combine a lock with a hat, coat, and umbrella locking-mechanism of the rack, that only after said locking-mechanism is moved into locking position can the key be removed from the rack; and upon insertion of the key into the rack and turning the same to cooperate the slide bolt of the lock, can the locking-mechanism be released.

Still further objects are to provide a yielding or compensating connection between the coat locking-element and the hat locking-element, so that both will eiectively lock articles placed upon their coperating hooks even though the article supported on one hook is considerably thicker than that supported on the other; to provide means to lock the coat locking-element at various points in its movement; and to otherwiseimprove on devices of this kind.

71th the above obJects in view, my invention consists l in the combination and ar- Speecaton of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 29, 1910.

Patented Dec. 6, 19210.

Serial No. 540,911.

I rangement of devices and also in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the subjoined claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification and consisting of three sheets,- Figure l is a side elevation of a rack con` structed according to -my invention, the locking elements being shown in their normal or unlocked position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing a hat and umbrella, and a coat in dotted lines upon their respective supporting-hooks and the locking-eleinents coperating with said hooks in locked position. Fig. 4t is a rear view of the same with the facing or closure-plate removed. Fig. is a central vertical section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on line G-6, Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 7 7, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the vertically movable actuating-rod whereby the locking-element for locking an umbrella to the rack is actuated. Fig. 9 is a perspective view viewed from the rear of the casting, the hat hook and the operating-lever on the reverse side being omitted.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several ligures.

The reference letter A designates the support or body of the rack which is preferably an elongated rectangular piece of wood capable of being fastened to a wall, screws a being shown for that purpose, the edge of the support or body being rounded oiI otherwise fashioned to give the racka neat appearance. Said support or body is provided with an elongated depression B on its rear side to provide a chamber for the reception of the operating mechanism; said chamber being provided with openings b, b1, b2, eX- tending through to the fiont of the support or body, through which openings the several locking-elements extend, as will appear hereinafter. Said chamber B is closed at the rear by a plate C which faces the entire rear surface of t-he support or body and is fastened thereto by means of screws c or in any other suitable manner; said plate when secured in place, forming part of said support oi body.

At one side of the depression or chamber an extension c1 is provided, which faces'outward and in which a key-actuated slide-bolt is situated for free movement. Closing the extension a1 and the opening b1, is a casting D which is applied to the front of the support A by means of screws (l or otherwise. Formed integrally with said casting a coat-hook or support D1 and a hat-hook D2 preferably curved outward and upward from a point near the upper end of said casting and terminating in an enlargement or head Z2 having its upper face convex. These hooks or supports may be of any desired shape so long as they are capable of serving the purpose intended therefor. At the junction of the casting D with the hat hook D2 is a lug (Z1. A slot or opening (Z3 extends through the casting D at this point so as to pass entirely through said lug, and said opening registers with the opening b1 in the support A. Extending through said slot or opening d and pivotally secured therein, is a lock-lever E having its rear end terminating in the depression or chamber B and its front end extending out beyond the lug Z1 a considerable distance. At its front end, said lock-lever has a depending portion c terminating in an enlargen'ient e1 whose lower face is concaved, as at e2 for coperation with a convex portion (Z4 formed on the coat-hook D1.

Then a coat is hung upon the coat-hook in the manner shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and the lock-lever E is swung downward for cooperation with said coat-hook, the concaved portion e1 of said lock-lever will impinge against the coat and lock the same on the coat-hook without wrinkling it. The front end of the lock-lever E is beveled, as at e3, and it has a slot e4 in which is pivoted a handle F; said handle being provided with a narrow rear end portion 7' adapted to' fit into said slot and having obliquely disposed shoulders f1 adapted to bear against the beveled front edge of the lever E for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of the handle. The lock-lever E is therefore the means provided for operating the device.

On the rear face of the casting D is a fixed vertical series of teeth G adapted to be engaged by a pawl or dog G1 having its upper end pivotally connected to the locklever E which is bifurcated at its inner end, as at e5. Said pawl is disposed vertically within the chamber B and has its lower end curved toward the series of teeth G so that when the lock-lever E is depressed, said pawl will engage one of the teeth of said series and hold said lock-lever in depressed position. Cooperating with the pawl or dog G1., is a slide or lock-bolt H having a beveled portion at one end, as at 7L, which is designed to engage the rear edge or face of said lock-pawl and swing the same outward to cause it to become disengaged from the series of teeth G. Said slide or lock-bolt moves horizontally while the pawl or dog G1 moves vertically, and engagmgsald bolt, is

a spring 71.1 adapted to move the same in one direction and to retain the same in its normal position. Said slide or lock-bolt is movable between two guides 71,2 arranged horizontally on the rear face of the casting D, and for the purpose of retaining said bolt between said guides, each guide has a lip h3 formed thereon which bears against the face of said bolt. A key retaining-lever lz* is pivoted to the rear of said casting and at its free end it has a depending portion h5 which is adapted to enter between prongs 7L on a key if inserted through a key-hole ILS formed in said casting; said key retaining-lever having a slot /z at its free end through which is passed a screw 71,10 that takes into the casting D. Vith a View of holding said key-retaining lever elevated, a spring 71.11 is provided which is secured to said lever and bears against the upper guide lig. The key retaining-lever is positioned transversely on the casting D and when elevated, its upper edge is above the bottom of the slot or opening Z3 formed in said casting.

l/Vhen the lock-lever E is in its elevated position, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 5, the inner end thereof bears against the upper edge of the transversely-disposed key retaining-lever h4, thus holding said last-mentioned lever in depressed position against the action of the spring L11. This is the position of the parts when the lock-lever E is held out of cooperation with the coat-hook D1, and at such times, the free end of the key retaining-lever is in engagement with the prongs h6 of the key and prevents removal of the key from the device. Upon depressing the lock-lever E, the inner end thereof is elevated and the key retaininglever immediately follows the upward movement of said inner end, due to the action of the spring L11 and immediately said key-retaining lever is forced upward sufficiently to clear the prongs of the key, the latter may be removed from the device. lt is of course understood, that before depressing the lock-lever E, a coat has been placed upon the coat-hook D1 so that when said locklever is depressed it will bear against said coat and prevent removal thereof from said hook.

.Vhen the lock-lever E is depressed', the key may be inserted into the key-hole 71,8 formed in the casting D, and upon turning the same, one of the prongs h6 of said key engages a shoulder H1 formed on the slide or lock bolt Hand forces said bolt laterally to move the beveled portion or wedge i. in rear of the pawl or dog G1, thereby disengaging said pawl or dog 4from the ratchet teeth G and permitting the lock-lever E to swing into its elevated position.

For this' purpose a retractile spring 1 is within the chamber B which has one end secured to the wall o-f said chamber, as at z', and its other end secured to the innei` end of said lock-lever, as at i2. Therefore, when the pawl or dog is disengaged from the teeth G, the spring 1 causes immediate and almost instant return of the lock-lever to its normal or elevated position.

To prevent theft of garments hung upon the rack by forcing the lock-lever E upward, the length of the handle F is such as to strike the hat-hook D2 in any position the lever E may be in, when said lever is swung upward. Thereforev it will be impossible to obtain any purchase on the lever to force it out of locked position, and in order to check the jar and minimize the noise necessarily following a quick return of the lock-lever E, a rubber buffer J surrounds the hat-hook D2 and the handle F of the lock-lever is carried by momentum upward beyond the angle into which said lock-lever swings and comes in contact with said buffer, thus eliminating the jar and noise which would otherwise occur. Some provision must be made to hold the pawl or dog against the ratchet teeth, and this I' preferably do by means of a spring; but as I have combined other mechanism with the coat-locking lever, I find it o-f advantage to secure a spring for this purpose on one of the parts of such other mechanism; but when constructing a rack having only a coat locking-device, the spring to hold said pawl or dog inward against the teeth G- or the casting D, may be secured in any suitable manner.

Near the upper end of the support A, 1 secure a casting K having a slot or opening /c registering with the opening b in said support. Passing through said slot or opening 1, is a lock-lever K1 having an enlargement or head Z121 at its outer end adapted to cooperate with the hat-hook D2, said lever being pivotally connected to said casting by means of a pivot-pin k2 and its inner end is bifurcated to pivotally receive the upper end of a telescopic rod L having its lower end pivotally secured to the bifurcated inner end of the lock-lever E, as at Z.

The rod L comprises a solid member L1 and a tubular member L2 adapted to receive said solid member, and within said tubular member is a rubber or other yielding element Z1 against which the lower or inner end of member L1 bears. For the purpose of retaining said lock-lever K1 in normal or elevated position and also for the purpose of holding the lower or inner end of member L1 against the yielding element Z1, a retractile spring M is provided which is situated in the chamber B and has one end secured to a pin Z2 projecting laterally from the member L1 of said rod and its other end fastened to the wall of said chamber, as at Z3.

provided l T he rod L therefore provides a yielding connection between the lock-levers E and K1 so that the lever E can be continued in its downward movement after the lever K1 cooperates with the hat-hook D2 to lock a hat thereon. This permits coats of different thicknesses or a number of coats to be hung upon the coat hook i 1, yet so actuates the lock-levers that both the coat or coats and the hat will be securely locked to the rack.

Although in the drawings the space Jaetween one end of the lock-lever K1 and its cooperating hat-hook is greater than the space between the concaved portion c2 of the lock-lever E and the coat-hook D1, the end of the lock-lever K1 will contact with the convex head of t-he hat-hook D2 before the concaved portion e2 of the lever E cooperates with the hat-hook D2 on account of the difference in leverage provided in the co-nnection of the rod L to said lock-levers. After the lock-lever K1 is depressed to lock a hat, there may be a slight additional movement of the lock-lever E required to bring it in contact with a coat placed upon the coat-hook D1 and this additional movement of the lever E is permitted by the element Z1 yielding or being depressed within the member L2 of the rod L. The lock-lever E after being depressed will be locked against return movement by the dog or pawl G1 engaging one of the series of teeth G and therefore, regardless of the thickness of the coat,` or the number of coats placed upon the coathook D1, said lock-lever will effectively lock a coat or coats to said hook. I also provide means for locking an umbrella to the rack, and for this purpose a casting N is secured to the support A near its lower end, said casting having an opening n registering with the opening b2 in said support and having also a rigid laterally-curved supportinghook n1. Cooperating with said supportinghook, is an oppositely curved lock-hook or lever N1 pivotally secured to the casting N, as at n2, and having an arm n3 passing through the openings n, and b2 and extending into the chamber B. The lock-lever N1 is held in normal or unlocked position by means of a spring O secured to the side wall of the chamber B and passing around a screw 0 threaded into the end of the arm n3, said spring being preferably a coil-spring passed around said screw and having both ends secured to a common point on the support A. liVhile the spring herein shown serves the purpose intended to good advantage, any other spring or equivalent means may be substituted to retain the lock-lever or lock-hook N1 in normal or unlocked position so that an umbrella can be placed between the ends of said hook or lever and the hook n1.

P designates an actuating rod arranged vertically within the chamber B and having its upper end secured to the inner end of thelock-lever E, as at p, and its lower end guided for vertical movement in a guide opening p1 formed in the support A, said actuating-rod having a lateral extension p2 provided with an inclined contact-face 223 adapted to co-act with the inner end of the arm n3 formed on the lock-hook or lever N1. Although the spring I may be sufiicient to assure proper actuation of the actuatingrodal), I have also provided a retractile spring Q, which is located within the chamber B and has one end secured to the point of pivotal connection of said rod to the lever E, as at r., and its other end to the wall of the chamber B, as at g1.

By placing the springs I and Q on opposite sides of the lock-lever E, which in reality is the operating-lever of the device, an even movement is obtained for the several working parts so that friction is reduced to the minimum. The lateral extension p2 is so positioned with relation to the lockhook or lever N1 that when the operatinglever E is in elevated or normal position, said lateral extension is in a plane beneath the lock-hook or lever N1, and not until lever E is being depressed will the beveled surface 7g3 of said extension act against the arm n3 of said lock-hook or lever. Vhen, however, said beveled surface engages said arm, the hook or lever N1 is swung toward the rigid hook nl and securely locks an umbrella to the rack.

I preferably provide the actuating-rod P with a lateral stud R to which I secure a spring r adapted to press against the rear or outer edge of the pawl or dog G1 to force and retain the actuating end of said pawl or dog in engagement with the casting D beneath the vertical series of teeth G or with one of the teeth of said series. Then the lock-lever E is in normal position, the actuating end of the pawl .or dog is held in engagement with the casting D beneath the series of teeth Gr, as shown in Fig. 5.

The operation of the device is as follows,- Normally the parts are in the position shown in Figs. l, 2, and 5, with the key 7t7 Vretained in the key-hole by the key retaininglever 71,4. When it is desired to lock a coat, an umbrella, or a hat, or any two or all of said articles to the rack, they are hung upon the proper supporting-hooks provided therefor and the operating-lever E depressed until the concaved portion e2 of the latter comes in contact with the coat on the hook D1, or if no coat is placed on said hook, uniil said lever contacts with said hook or reaches the end of its downward movement, as the casel of the hat-hook, as shown in Fig. 3, and drawing the actuating-rod P upward to cause the beveled surface of the extension p2, which may well be termed a cam, to engage the inner end of the lock-hook or lever N1 and force the same toward the rigid hook u1. Any articles that may be hung upon the rspective hooks will therefore be locked in o ace.

l When the several locking elementsV are locked and positioned as described, the innei' end of the operating-lever will be elevated and permit the key retaining-lever to assume its released position, in which position it is out of engagement with the prongs 71,G of the key and permitsV said key to be withdrawn so that it may be carried away by the person having locked his property to the rack, thus preventing the removal of the same except by the owner or a person to whom he may deliver the key.

Vhen the article or articles are to be removed from the rack, it is simply necessary in order to release them, to insert the key and turn the same within the key-hole, whereupon the prongs or one of the prongs 71,6 of the key will engage the shoulder H1 of the slide or lock-bolt II and force the same laterally against the action of the spring 71,1. This movement of the slide or lock-bolt will bring the beveled portion or wedge 7Ly thereof in contact with the front or inner edge of the pawl or dog'Gr1 and force the same rearward against the action of the spring r bearing thereagainst, thus disengaging said pawl or dog from the tooth of the series G co-acting therewith; and immediately the pawl is disengaged, the springs I and Q, act to swing the operating-lever E into normal position, or in other words, the inner end of said operating-lever is swung downward, causing the pawl or dog G1 to move downward out of Contact with the series of teeth. The actuating-rod P is also moved downward to engage the cam p2 thereof from the lock-hook or lever N1, whereupon the spring G moves saidhook or lever away from the rigid hook nl. During such action of the operating-lever the actuating-rod L is drawn down-ward and causes the lock-lever K1 to swing upward, thus permitting any article that may be hung upon the several hooks to be removed. The downward movement of the inner end of the operating-lever E causes the key-re taining lever 71,4 to be moved downward to bring its outer end in engagement wit-h the key between its prongs 72,6, thereby locking said key against removal, and not until after the several locking-elements are moved into locking position can the key again be removed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,- Y

l. A device of the character described,

comprising a support having a chamber and an opening extending from said chamber to the outer face of said support, a casting secured to said support and closing said opening, said casting having a projection on its outer face on which an article may be hung and a vertical series of teeth on its inner face, a lever pivotally attached at a point between its ends to said casting and adapted to coperate with said projection, a springpre'ssed pawl pivotally attached to the inner end of said lever and adapted for co-action in said vertical series of teeth, and means to disengage said pawl fromsaid teeth.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a chambered support having an opening extending from its chamber to the outer surface of the support, a casting applied to the outer face of said support and closing said opening, said casting having an opening registering with the abovementioned opening and a hook extending upward therefrom, also a vertical series of teeth on its rear face, a lock-lever extending through the opening in said casting and pivoted at a point between its ends within said opening, a paw-l pivoted to the inner end of said lock-lever 'and adapted for co-action with said vertical series of teeth, a horizontally-disposed slidebolt having a wedge-portion adapted to engage said pawl to free it from said teeth, a removable key adapted to actuate said slidebolt, and a spring-lifted key retaining-lever adapted to engage said key to prevent removal thereof, said key retainingdever being engaged by the inner end of said locklever when in normal position.

3. In a device of the character` described,

in combination, a hat locking-device including a swinging lever, means for locking said lever, a hat locking-device including a swinging lever, a rod connecting said levers and comprising two yieldingly connected members, and means for releasing said irst mentioned lever when locked.

et. In a device of the character described, the combination with a support having a coat-hook and a hat-hook, of a lever cooperating with each of said hooks, a telescopic rod connecting said levers, means for locking the lever coperat-ing with said coathook, and means for releasing said lever when locked.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a support having a coat hook and a hat hook thereon, of a locklever eoperating with each of said supports and pivoted between its ends, 'a rod connecting corresponding ends of said levers and comprising two members, one of said mem* bers being t-ubular and having a yielding element located therein and the other member fitting within said tubular member against said yielding element, means for retaining said lock-levers in unlocked position, means for locking said levers when actuated, and key-actuated mechanism for releasing said levers so as to permit them to return to normal position.

In testimony whereof, I have aiXed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK L. KINSEY. Witnesses:

IV. W. FORRAND, C. E. PEOR. 

